INTRO - Reset & Setting.
When Ooma asked us to create an elevated brand for magic mushroom microdosing, we saw a unique opportunity to break new ground—no one had done it compellingly before, and the possibilities were endless.
Ooma created their product to support everyday mental health and personal growth, so we set out to present magic mushrooms in an entirely new light—not as indulgent treats, escapist fun, or productivity hacks, but as a transformative wellness practice.
BACKSTORY - Fungi & Psyche.
Though the market is primed (from low-dose cannabis to ketamine therapy), microdosing remains a relatively new concept for many. The stigma surrounding psychedelics still looms large with “trippiness” presenting a significant roadblock.
To keep it accessible for newcomers, we wanted to ease concerns without taking the dry, clinical route. We were searching for something more exciting and emotional to hang our proverbial hat on. Ooma is a daily spark of joy that makes life a bit brighter, so we wanted the brand to feel uplifting and inspiring.
The unlock came from the method behind the mushroom’s magic. Psilocybin rewires neural networks, foregoing the usual pathways in the brain to make new connections, jailbreaking us out of stuck and rigid thinking. In other words, mushrooms help our minds get creative. We saw that creativity could help us resonate with ahead-of-trend, curious people on their personal wellness journeys in a modern, elevated way.
We also realized that, beyond representing exciting possibilities for mental health, mushrooms symbolize a future we can look forward to. From art to architecture, mycotechnology consistently shows us creative, sustainable ways forward. In a time of widespread anxiety, uncertainty and dread about the future, that’s no small thing.
NAMING - Feelings Forward.
The Ooma name elevates the “oom” in “shroom” to evoke expressions of delight, excitement and energy like “ooh” and “oomph” and conjure a joyful mood shift. Ooma sounds like a woman's name, making it more approachable. This helps personify the brand as a new, fun companion on your wellness journey.
STRATEGY - The Art of Transformation.
With the strategic positioning "The Art of Transformation," we elevated Ooma to the art of improving mood and wellbeing. From visual design to premium ingredients like sargol saffron, we situated everything Ooma in the concept of creative transformation.
We carried the feelings-forward approach into our brand promise, allowing us to communicate with our audience about what matters most to them—how they feel. We also created an inspiring brand vision—cultivating a future of wellbeing. This builds a sense of optimism into the brand that feels like the collective mood brightening.
While strategy laid the foundation, the brand manifesto wove the pieces together, helping us find emotional touchpoints to explore in messaging.
VERBAL IDENTITY - Psychedel-ish.
Tonally, the brand is modern, elevated, approachable and enjoyable, blending imaginative, playful notes with welcoming, guiding tones for the right balance. Ooma’s go-to messaging mantra is simple: Headlines intrigue; body copy reassures.
While microdoses are often called “stacks”, we borrowed the term “blends” from the wellness world to describe our offering. Rather than talk about mental health, cognitive function or neural networks, we rooted benefits in feelings, defining Ooma’s mushroom microdose blends as “for mood and wellbeing” or “for everyday ease and enjoyment.”
TAGLINE - The Mind Inspired.
“Inspiration” is something everyone can get behind, a feeling we all want more of in our lives. Ooma’s tagline, ‘The Mind Inspired,’ translates cognitive benefits into emotional ones, in a non-trippy way. By giving the mind a feeling, we’re able to tell our audience what to expect instantaneously and imaginatively, aligning with the brand strategy of artful transformation and feelings-forward communication. The tagline shows up everywhere Ooma does, from packaging to merch.
MESSAGING - The Nature of the Mind.
To reassure people they won’t hallucinate or get addicted, we needed a compellingly calm message. The Ooma team had been kicking around the phrase ‘Happy Not High.’ We added a rhyme to the beginning to make the phrase stickier: ‘Ritual, Not Habitual. Happy, Not High.’ This clearly and playfully addresses two key concerns, helping ease any friction on the brand website.
We highlighted endless potential for personal growth through the key message “For Your Ever-Evolving World,” designed in a circular layout and animated in digital spaces. It communicates that mushrooms are a natural companion on your wellness journey, accompanying you as you grow and change.
With our key messages sorted, we created a variety of brand headlines that played with the subject matter without losing the plot. An Invitation Inward. For the Fungi-Curious. Your Growth Era. Mind Your Matter. Approachable and playful, they explore themes of growth, enjoyment and optimism.
CAMPAIGN - Look Forward to Yourself.
We transformed the final stanza of the brand manifesto into a campaign throughline. Rather than focus solely on the product, we offered our audience something more inspiring to look forward to—themselves. You, but in a brighter, better mood as you experience more enjoyment, wellbeing, and personal growth, every day.
WEBSITE - An Invitation Inward.
With a mix of creative, playful, and reassuring messaging, the website sparks curiosity, addresses concerns, and invites audiences into the Ooma world. A combination of design and copy express the brand vision—that we can reimagine feeling, thinking, and being with mushrooms as our muse.
Allison Dobkin is the Head of Strategy and Copy at LA-based Forner.
CREDITS:
Branding Studio: Forner
Strategy: Allison Dobkin
Naming, Writing: Allison Dobkin
Creative Direction: Kati Forner
Design: Kati Forner, Matt Gribben
Managing Director: TJ Tambellini
INTRO - Reset & Setting.
When Ooma asked us to create an elevated brand for magic mushroom microdosing, we saw a unique opportunity to break new ground—no one had done it compellingly before, and the possibilities were endless.
Ooma created their product to support everyday mental health and personal growth, so we set out to present magic mushrooms in an entirely new light—not as indulgent treats, escapist fun, or productivity hacks, but as a transformative wellness practice.
BACKSTORY - Fungi & Psyche.
Though the market is primed (from low-dose cannabis to ketamine therapy), microdosing remains a relatively new concept for many. The stigma surrounding psychedelics still looms large with “trippiness” presenting a significant roadblock.
To keep it accessible for newcomers, we wanted to ease concerns without taking the dry, clinical route. We were searching for something more exciting and emotional to hang our proverbial hat on. Ooma is a daily spark of joy that makes life a bit brighter, so we wanted the brand to feel uplifting and inspiring.
The unlock came from the method behind the mushroom’s magic. Psilocybin rewires neural networks, foregoing the usual pathways in the brain to make new connections, jailbreaking us out of stuck and rigid thinking. In other words, mushrooms help our minds get creative. We saw that creativity could help us resonate with ahead-of-trend, curious people on their personal wellness journeys in a modern, elevated way.
We also realized that, beyond representing exciting possibilities for mental health, mushrooms symbolize a future we can look forward to. From art to architecture, mycotechnology consistently shows us creative, sustainable ways forward. In a time of widespread anxiety, uncertainty and dread about the future, that’s no small thing.
NAMING - Feelings Forward.
The Ooma name elevates the “oom” in “shroom” to evoke expressions of delight, excitement and energy like “ooh” and “oomph” and conjure a joyful mood shift. Ooma sounds like a woman's name, making it more approachable. This helps personify the brand as a new, fun companion on your wellness journey.
STRATEGY - The Art of Transformation.
With the strategic positioning "The Art of Transformation," we elevated Ooma to the art of improving mood and wellbeing. From visual design to premium ingredients like sargol saffron, we situated everything Ooma in the concept of creative transformation.
We carried the feelings-forward approach into our brand promise, allowing us to communicate with our audience about what matters most to them—how they feel. We also created an inspiring brand vision—cultivating a future of wellbeing. This builds a sense of optimism into the brand that feels like the collective mood brightening.
While strategy laid the foundation, the brand manifesto wove the pieces together, helping us find emotional touchpoints to explore in messaging.
VERBAL IDENTITY - Psychedel-ish.
Tonally, the brand is modern, elevated, approachable and enjoyable, blending imaginative, playful notes with welcoming, guiding tones for the right balance. Ooma’s go-to messaging mantra is simple: Headlines intrigue; body copy reassures.
While microdoses are often called “stacks”, we borrowed the term “blends” from the wellness world to describe our offering. Rather than talk about mental health, cognitive function or neural networks, we rooted benefits in feelings, defining Ooma’s mushroom microdose blends as “for mood and wellbeing” or “for everyday ease and enjoyment.”
TAGLINE - The Mind Inspired.
“Inspiration” is something everyone can get behind, a feeling we all want more of in our lives. Ooma’s tagline, ‘The Mind Inspired,’ translates cognitive benefits into emotional ones, in a non-trippy way. By giving the mind a feeling, we’re able to tell our audience what to expect instantaneously and imaginatively, aligning with the brand strategy of artful transformation and feelings-forward communication. The tagline shows up everywhere Ooma does, from packaging to merch.
MESSAGING - The Nature of the Mind.
To reassure people they won’t hallucinate or get addicted, we needed a compellingly calm message. The Ooma team had been kicking around the phrase ‘Happy Not High.’ We added a rhyme to the beginning to make the phrase stickier: ‘Ritual, Not Habitual. Happy, Not High.’ This clearly and playfully addresses two key concerns, helping ease any friction on the brand website.
We highlighted endless potential for personal growth through the key message “For Your Ever-Evolving World,” designed in a circular layout and animated in digital spaces. It communicates that mushrooms are a natural companion on your wellness journey, accompanying you as you grow and change.
With our key messages sorted, we created a variety of brand headlines that played with the subject matter without losing the plot. An Invitation Inward. For the Fungi-Curious. Your Growth Era. Mind Your Matter. Approachable and playful, they explore themes of growth, enjoyment and optimism.
CAMPAIGN - Look Forward to Yourself.
We transformed the final stanza of the brand manifesto into a campaign throughline. Rather than focus solely on the product, we offered our audience something more inspiring to look forward to—themselves. You, but in a brighter, better mood as you experience more enjoyment, wellbeing, and personal growth, every day.
WEBSITE - An Invitation Inward.
With a mix of creative, playful, and reassuring messaging, the website sparks curiosity, addresses concerns, and invites audiences into the Ooma world. A combination of design and copy express the brand vision—that we can reimagine feeling, thinking, and being with mushrooms as our muse.
Allison Dobkin is the Head of Strategy and Copy at LA-based Forner.
CREDITS:
Branding Studio: Forner
Strategy: Allison Dobkin
Naming, Writing: Allison Dobkin
Creative Direction: Kati Forner
Design: Kati Forner, Matt Gribben
Managing Director: TJ Tambellini
Further Reading
